The Crimson Letter
by Amati
Summary: Sasuke never thought there would be any being in this world more annoying than Naruto Uzumaki, but then he met Sakura Haruno. AU.
1. Designation

**The Crimson Letter**

**Chapter One**

**Designation**

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Sasuke Uchiha never thought that he'd admit to himself that there would be any being in this world more annoying than Naruto Uzumaki. If there was, he would never want to meet them. The blonds annoying antics, his boisterous voice, his trusting heart, and his slow mind. It all pissed Sasuke the fuck off. It was beyond him to know why Naruto was his Akatsuki partner, sure they fought in sync but other than they were so different from each other like the angel was to the devil. Sasuke doubted there would be anybody annoying, and as stupid as Naruto Uzumaki.

But then he met Sakura Haruno.

"You are committing a crime!" Sakura screeched in Sasuke's ear as he held her tied up body over his shoulder. She began squirming under his hold, but rather than loosening his arms like she intended to do, Sasuke held on tighter.

"I will not stand for this, you monster!" Sakura hollered louder than before, if that even was possible. Sasuke wanted to pick at his ear drum to check if he could properly hear, but decided against it because it'd be likely that she would fall off, not that he minded.

"I will report this as soon as somebody finds me!" She continued on.

_Her stupid dress is getting in the way..._Sasuke mused to himself for he couldn't see the forest trail, and contemplating to rip the large crinoline of her red gown.

"ARE YOU EVEN LISTENING TO ME!"

"If you say one more word, I will drop you and leave you here to die."Sasuke said, his patience was running thin and Naruto had yet to show up from his 'small' bathroom break. Seriously how long did it take to take a whizz?

"You will not!" Sakura yelled, but he had heard her utter a 'dying here is better than being with you.' He then made his decision, and abruptly dropped her. "HEY!"

She had landed face front, and had a hard time getting up due to the purple ropes that confined her arms to her torso. Sasuke saw that she was struggling to get up, but made no movement to actually help her up. She was such an easy target her almost felt pity for her. If anybody was walking by they'd be able to easily end her life, he could've killed her but he needed her idiotic self around. And Naruto would probably shed too many tears upon her death.

Where the hell was that idiot anyways?

"You wouldn't leave me here Sasuke-kun." He couldn't understand why in the world she would use that suffix with him. They were supposed to be enemies, wasn't she supposed to call him shit he wouldn't say in front of his dead mother?

"Why not?" he asked not actually caring about her answer, but rather trying to get her to calm down. He looked around the forest area, and found no particular blond in sight.

"Because you need me." was all she said, and came out wrong in Sasuke's head on various levels. He ignored the suggested thoughts came in to head, he had seen and slept with better-looking women than Sakura.

"I don't need anybody." Sasuke said in a tone that left no room for arguments, but all the same in honesty. He then saw a flash of blond from the corner of his eye, and never would he have though he wanted to see Naruto more in that moment.

"BASTARD!" Naruto gasped in horror at the sight of Sakura, and quickly kneeled down in his pooling Akatsuki robe.

"HOW DARE YOU HURT PRINCESS SAKURA-CHAN LIKE THAT!"

Sasuke somehow wanted to take back the thought of seeing Naruto...

"Naruto I'm fine, it's only a scratch-"

"YOU LITTLE SHIT-"

He sighed out of irritation. After everything was dealt with, he seriously was going to kill both Naruto, and Sakura.

* * *

"Ha! Gotcha!" Said a hyperactive eighteen year old blond, as he ducked underneath a sailing body before jamming his kunai in to his bandit partner's shoulder.

"You're gonna pay for that!"

Sasuke on the other hand was back at the cart full of treasure the thieves stole, and he couldn't help but smirk at the irony of it all. Silently he wished he'd be fighting out there with Naruto, but it wasn't all that great of a fight and didn't want to fight an almost unconscious band. Plus the fact Sasuke was ten times more stealthier at stealing than Naruto.

They weren't here in the middle of the pathway that lead to Suna to kill off the thieves, who were wanted from Suna no more than a few days before, but simply to steal their goods. Both of the two men sought after a good fight, and had been looking forward to it but became silent when they realised one had to steal the cart away, while the lucky one fought the other two off. Sasuke grudgingly agreed because he knew there was no way Naruto was up for the job.

It had been two months since both he and Naruto got their last mission, and their last mission was exhilarating both on his and Naruto's part. The two had to infiltrate Konoha's Strict Correctional Facility to aid Sasori and Hidan's jailbreak, and Sasuke would have gladly repeated the task if he had to. But Orochimaru had stopped sending Kakashi to assign them missions, or so that was what Naruto beginning to believe. Sasuke thought it was either Orochimaru didn't have time on his hands for the two of them, couldn't find the right mission for the two, or was preparing the perfect mission for the two. Although from their last assignment, Sasuke and Naruto cravings for more missions had exaggerated, which was left unsatisfied.

Sasuke was hoping that maybe one of these days a familiar messenger hawk would be making his appearance very soon, because the ever so patient Sasuke was running thin.

The dark-haired Akatsuki member searched the cart, came upon some tomatoes in a rugged bag full of vegetables, he resentfully ignored it before stopping to find a small stash of gold. He grabbed it and slung it over his shoulder without a second thought, and turned to look over at Naruto to assess his situation, he saw that Naruto was struggling to take down a stabbed bandit. Sasuke concluded that Naruto wouldn't need his help and didn't want to fight a half conscious thief, so he left the two alone.

After he let the blond and the two bandits to their own business, and walked down the sand covered pathway alone. He was reunited with the said blond no more than two minutes later, Naruto was panting away but Sasuke felt no need to stop and give him a breather.

"Stuff like this wants me back on missions..." Naruto grumbled, still trying to catch his breath. "Did you get to fight those two weaklings at all?"

Sasuke didn't say anything in response, Naruto silently understood the little 'no' and instantly felt guilty for taking away Sasuke's only form of enjoyment.

"Well..." He said looking back at the two thieves, and noticed one of their foot was twitching, "you could punch that one if you want..."

Sasuke kept silent, and looked straight ahead at the path. He hoped that Naruto may have gotten the message that he wasn't in the mood for Naruto's antics, actually Sasuke never was but this time around he just was on his assignment cravings. It wasn't that he was a workaholic, it was the intensity of the mission, and the excitement he got when he had to take out more than a handful of people. It was the fact that Sasuke had teased death more than enough that wanted him back to work.

"Finally!" Naruto exclaimed, breaking Sasuke out of his thoughts, "we can buy nice ramen from Ichiraku!

"We're not going to Konoha." Sasuke stated.

"Aw c'mon! It's so nice over there!" Naruto whined, patting off the little specks of dirt off of his Akatsuki cloak.

"We're wanted ." Sasuke vaguely explained. Especially after the jailbreak two months prior, Sasuke was sure Konoha was on the lookout for the two.

"So? Wouldn't that make the trip to Ichiraku ten times better?" Sasuke actually thought about it, the idea didn't sound too bad and he was looking for something to do. He was getting quite rusty after doing nothing but stealing goods from other criminals, for their own selfish purposes. But then he thought about getting caught and doubting that Orochimaru, or his own brother would be too impressed with their 'definition of having a good time' .

"No. Orochimaru-" But before Sasuke could expand further in to his reasoning, he was rudely interrupted by Naruto.

"Are his lover or something?" Naruto said. "Honestly Sasuke I won't judge you if you are gay-"

"Shut up." Sasuke grounded out. He was getting real sick and tired of Naruto stupid 'homosexual' comments. The two had been to countless whorehouses together, and had seen the next person being accompanied by plenty of women but Naruto never ceased to make comments about Sasuke sexuality. Sasuke was very much in to women, and preferred it no other way.

"Oh come on Sasuke, admit it." Naruto pestered on, having no other source of entertainment. "You care about what Orochimaru has to say more than food."

"I'm not like you." Sasuke lamely countered back.

"Yeah but you're so uptight, you're like those stereotypical librarian chicks." Naruto mused. "You even look like a girl. Maybe if you were one, I might even give you a chance-"

"Naruto. Shut the fuck up."

"Why should I?" Naruto glared at Sasuke.

"listen to yourself."

"Oh...right"

And they fell in too an uncomfortable silence, but Sasuke had no means to break it. He was sure Naruto was going to forget about the comment in less than five minutes, but he was wrong. It took ten seconds instead.

"Hey! Bastard look!" Naruto said pointing out at the blue sky. Sasuke looked in the direction of Narutos pointed index finger, and found nothing but clear blue sky. He was about to snap at Naruto before something did in fact catch his eye. But it was a few moments that it did come into view that Sasuke finally realized what it was.

A familiar messenger hawk.

A smirk grew on Sasuke's face, as the hawk landed on his forearm. He almost missed the hawk so much Sasuke had the decency to stroke his head, he even missed the vague messages Kakashi always wrote.

_'Suna. Noon.'_

"Let's go." Sasuke said abruptly letting the hawk fly knowing he'd find his way home wherever that was, and took off before Naruto got the chance to make a comment.

He finally had an appointment, and he wouldn't miss for the world.

* * *

The Akatsuki cloaked members bustled threw the hectic Suna marketplace, they made sure to wear normal black cloaks so they wouldn't catch any suspicious eyes. Although Sasuke wanted to put his cloak hood up, the temperature was so hot Sasuke was surprised his sensitive skin hadn't gotten sunburn yet. It wasn't that he didn't like the sun, it was just the stares he was getting not only from women, but men too. Naruto must have noticed this as well because he began to snicker but thankfully didn't make any comments.

Sometimes Sasuke wished he didn't look the way he did, he couldn't find anything all that gorgeous about himself. He didn't care for appearance, he only cared about what was beyond the physical appearance and focused on the fighting potential. The only time he did believe appearance came in to play was when he was earning himself some pleasure from an attractive whore. But even then he still couldn't find himself to say there was anybody that held the beautiful title in his book, aside from his deceased mother of course.

But by the time a brunet that looked like he was in his late thirties muttered a 'whoa, what a pretty face...' he knew Naruto wouldn't contain himself. Naruto did in fact burst in to laughter to the point of tears.

"But- but, you look constipated!" Naruto said in between in laughter. "Oh man, this is rich!"

Sasuke gave Naruto an irritated look, before continuing down the pathway that lead to a particular booze house. 'The Suna Saloon' was what they were looking for, but it had been so long Sasuke almost forgot where it was. Just as he did spot it a few streets away something else caught Naruto's eyes as he drifted away from Sasuke. Sasuke glanced over at Naruto to see him by a newspaper stand by the town crier, and held what seemed like 'The Konoha News'.

Sasuke sighed at all the uncreative names, and walked over beside Naruto to see him excitingly read about someone. Which only meant one thing. Sakura Haruno was written about.

"Look at her, she's so pretty~!" Naruto sighed dreamily. Sasuke just grunted in response hoping Naruto could leave the newspaper alone, they were already two hours late . "She didn't even do anything but walk outside her house."

"You know that comment I made about you being a girl? I take that back. Sakura-chan will always be my number one."

"She doesn't even know you exist." Sasuke said looking over Naruto's shoulder to find the said black-and-white girl smiling up at them. The article was written about how the princess was careless for being alone, and could've been an easy target of assassination. Sasuke had just read the header of the article, and he was already bored.

"SO! Our love will truly flourish when we meet!" Naruto said gazing away at her face, Sasuke just scowled at him. Naruto perhaps had spent too much time getting acquainted with one of the Strict Correctional guards in Konoha, Sasuke had remembered Lee had drilled his name in to their heads.

But Sakura Haruno was nothing special, she was just a normal one of the three princesses of Konoha. She had bright pink hair, and that already was a no go for Sasuke who preferred dark-haired women himself. Sakura had the brightest doe bright green eyes that it rivaled with Naruto's, had the body of a twelve year old girl when really she was sixteen years old. She was too bright, and childlike for Sasuke who liked the calm and reserved look on women.

"Well now, I would expect Naruto to gaze upon this pretty little lady's face, but never in my would I think you would Sasuke." said a joking voice behind the two, and before they could even turn their heads, Sasuke and Naruto already knew who it was.

"Kakashi-sensei!" Naruto exclaimed completely ignoring Kakashi's small arrival comment. "what are you doing here, shouldn't you be at the Saloon?"

"How many times have I told you to stop calling me that..." Kakashi muttered in his usual Konoha attire, "I was just making my way over at the Suna Saloon,"

Sasuke and Naruto shared a look, and were left feeling glad they came two hours later than the actual meeting would've been held. They had almost forgotten Kakashi's tardiness.

Kakashi Hatake was their sensei in Sasuke and Naruto's younger days, and taught them mostly of what they know now. He was a working man in Konoha after he left the Akatsuki but Kakashi had yet to cease meeting up with Orochimaru, and stop updating the Akatsuki on Konoha's whereabouts. Even after all the years of Kakashi no longer teaching them, Naruto didn't have the heart to call him Kakashi as an equal, Sasuke had called him by his name from the very beginning. But even after his retirement Kakashi willingly signed up for handing assignments to Naruto and Sasuke.

"It's nice not to make an excuse once in a while." Kakashi sighed, and by then Sasuke impatience reached its limit.

So Sasuke did slightly lash out at the two, said that they were slacking off too much and should get back on track. To which the two both quietly complied, probably feelings slightly unnerved by Sasuke anger.

"You both are a waste of my time!" Sasuke grumbled in his stool, glaring menacingly at the two sitting right from him.

"Alright, alright, alright.." Kakashi said as he drew up a bar stool and placed himself comfortably on it.

"Come on Kakashi-Sensei!" Naruto giddily said hoping in his chair like a four year old.

"I can't debrief the two of you on this mission." Kakashi replied, "I've been asked to only give you this."

He handed them a crimson letter which Sasuke ended up holding, mostly grabbing from Kakashi's hands before Naruto could get the chance to.

"What's this?" Naruto asked all joy gone from his voice.

"Your mission."

Sasuke gave Kakashi a suspicious look. Kakashi had always been a man with a few words but he wasn't normally too quiet. Sasuke noted this at the back of his mind, and opened the letter, and read.

_Sasuke Uchiha & Naruto Uzumaki_

_ No one outside of the organization must know of this, if there are, you must dispose of them. If you go against orders we will be forced to terminate both you and your Akatsuki title. This is an S-rank mission, therefore you have no room for any risks for this mission. You have six months to carry through with this task, if it isn't done you will know of the consequences. Your job is to eliminate Sakura Haruno, daughter of Konoha's General Kizashi Haruno._

_ Akatsuki_

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** A/N: slightly rushed. I had this idea for a while but never had the chance to publish it, it's my first SasuSaku fic. :)**

** Should I continue on with this story or no?**


	2. Encounter

**Disclaimer: IDNON**

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**The Crimson Letter**

**Chapter Two**

**Encounter**

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It had taken two approximately two days, two days for Naruto and Sasuke to wind up in a situation that delayed them from their initial goal. They were on their way from Suna, and were making their journey over to Konohagakure to carry out through the mission. Sasuke could've considered it a relatively nice journey in which both of Akatsuki members had barely spoken a word to each other, and the thought should've unnerved Sasuke but he'd been too busy rejoicing that fact. It was characteristically Naruto to be frustrated over Sakura's planned assassination , but Sasuke knew for a fact that Naruto wouldn't go against orders and not go through with the mission. He'd simply make Sasuke go through with the murder instead.

The two knew they were nearing konoha's borders when the sand was beginning to thin out in to rocky land, and the appearance of diminutive trees growing frequent. They should have in fact took a break hours before, but Sasuke wasn't too fond of Suna's heat and got annoyed of the infinite amount of sand in his sandals. The sun beating down on them wasn't helping their case either, and the two had forgotten to take an extra water canteen from Kakashi who didn't bother to offer it, instead had said- "you two are big boys now!"- with those awful crinkling eyes of his. The two men had stripped down from their cloaks, wore the Akatsuki provided attired navy blue v-neck shirt with a mesh top underneath, and wrapped the arms of their clocks around their waists.

Both walking almost nonstop had also been tiring but they still kept moving, hoping to get Konoha's climate as soon as possible but they had exerted a little too much energy on the way. They realised that after they were ambushed by a one simple bandit, who seemed to be new at what he was doing. Well at least that was what Sasuke judged from the man's attire which was a black mask that covered everything but his bright green feminine eyes, and wore the largest cloak Sasuke had ever come across. If Sasuke could he would've given him a star for the bandit's first try on the first waylay and the war cry too, but he was pissed off that it was being wasted on himself.

When the bandit had come out of nowhere, which was really behind a dying bush, both Naruto and Sasuke had gotten in their fighting stance.

"Kick his ass Teme!" Naruto eased back, and let Sasuke fight the petty opponent, who was knocked flat, with a simple punch to the face, off his feet in less than ten seconds. The two looked around deserted area, except for occasional greenery, to see if the outlaw had any companions, but there wasn't a life in sight. Sasuke glanced at the rather large crook, and Naruto looked like he was about to make a heroic comment but both men abruptly stopped when they heard a womanly moan.

"Ow... That actually hurt..." Said a feminine voice, which in turn made Sasuke and Naruto stopped dead in their tracks and exchange an unnerved glance.

"Who the hell are you?" And Naruto roughly pulled at the black hood without the man's permission. But the next sight they saw they weren't prepared for and almost recoiled when they did. There out fell the long flowing pink tresses of hair, and green childlike angered orbs stared back up at the two men.

It took a whole three seconds for Sasuke to realise that it was Sakura Haruno, and he didn't even have the time to count his lucky stars before she spoke.

"Hey!" She screeched at them, her green eyes flashing with anger before turning into pure shock after Naruto. Sakura then proceeded to let out an audible gasp before slowly crawling, crablike, backwards away, "You're the ones that attacked us!"

"I would never!" Naruto roared with just as much as shock Sakura had, although his scrunched up eyebrows indicated his frustration at the false accusation "Who attacked you? I'll make them pay!"

Sasuke on the other hand didn't believe a word that came out of her mouth, for one thing this was his first time meeting Sakura Haruno, and he knew exactly where he was hours prior to the moment and it wasn't anywhere near this girl. She was up to something, but what? Sasuke had no idea, and as he analyzed around the clear sandy perimeter the answer fell in to pieces like a jigsaw puzzle. But there were still pieces missing, and suddenly Sasuke was glad he was curious and demanding as he was.

But there was something odd and bizarre about this whole situation in general. Naruto and Sasuke had been assigned the mission just two days before, and now they had Sakura was right in their clutches? Alone too... It wasn't adding up. Everything was too easy, too suspiciously easy.

"Nobody Naruto. She's lying." Naruto flashed his blond head at him Sasuke was rather surprised he hadn't gotten whiplash yet. Sakura's eyes finally fell on Sasuke and Sasuke alone, but when it did she took the time to assess him up and down, to which Sasuke fully ignored, before turning in to a dark shade of burgundy.

"W-What are you talking about? Why would I lie about that!" She barked in an unladylike manner it was almost repulsive, but judging from the blush that marred Naruto's face his fascination for her only deepened.

"Yeah Sasuke!" Naruto agreed full heartedly to his lovely Sakura, almost dramatically too. But Naruto's tone changed in to pure softness when he indicated the next question to Sakura. "What are you even doing here in the first place Sakura-_Hime_?"

"There isn't a life in sight," Sasuke simply stated and ignored Sakura's attempt to speak up.

"So? What if she was ambushed days ago? You inconsiderate bastard-"

"AHEM!" Sakura tried once more to gain their attention, even if it were in vain. "I'm still here!"

"Impossible." Sasuke continued on as if she hadn't spoke at all, he got rather skilled at ignoring loudmouths after traveling with a nonstop talking Naruto for so long. "She was in Konoha two days ago."

"How would you know?" Naruto asked, his voice took a tone of contemplation. Sasuke sighed to himself, finally the rare sensible part Naruto was resurfacing.

"The newspaper article yesterday." Sasuke stated. Naruto's mouth shut uncharacteristically, and Sasuke knew there will be minute words that would come from the blonde's mouth. Now that he had put some sense in to Naruto, all he had to take was the Haruno girl.

"So what's you purpose for abandoning your village?" Sasuke asked nonchalantly, and observed the girl crawling away once more but more slowly. She stopped when he stepped on the end of her large black cloak.

"I'm not abandoning my village." She assured, her blush all gone from her cheeks as she stared at him with hardened eyes.

"How did you even do it?" Naruto asked in a rather meekly behind Sasuke.

"Well if you two weren't busy squabbling like an old married couple and looking like you're planning my murder, I might have told you!" Sakura's eyes fared once more as she glance at Naruto.

"We're not trying to kill you..." Naruto said softly, but Sasuke doubted Sakura heard it.

"Why should I even tell you in the first place..." Sakura mumbled to herself, and if Sasuke wasn't stepping on her cloak he wouldn't have heard it. "You'll let me go if I tell you?"

And at the same time Naruto and Sasuke said:

"Yeah!"

"No."

Then proceeded to glare at each other.

"I'm running away..." Sakura started off in a small voice.

"From Konoha?" Naruto questioned.

"No, I told you... I'm running away from Obito Uchiha!" Just as the words tumbled out of her mouth Sasuke's temper flared upon the name.

From Obito? Why Obito? He resided alone in Iwa, of course with the permission of the Head of Clan, Fugaku, Sasuke's father. Why was she in Suna when he was in Iwa, which wasn't anywhere on the radar to the path between Iwa and Konoha? Why was she running away from Obito, the man who laughed at almost everything and reminded Sasuke of Naruto a tad too much. He was Sasuke's uncle two branches down, Sasuke barely visited Obito in his lifetime. Sasuke somewhat recalled the last time he travelled to the village hidden in rocks, there was a short-haired brunette who stood with a hundred watt smile beside Obito up his entrance, two years back. The Uchiha heir immediately thought they were together, but it was confirmed when Obito acted goofier than normal when she was in Obito's presence and the woman just giggled at his antics. What happened to her?

What happened to the Uchiha clan? He abandon his clan for quite some time now, and didn't bother to stay in touch with them for a while due to the pile of missions both he and Naruto received. With Sasuke unable to privately meet up with his family, it rendered him frustrated but just carried out his tasks. So now he was on a mission to kill a simple princess, but now the assignment was spitting Sasuke in the face by bringing his last name in to her situation.

"What do you know of him?" Sasuke gritted his teeth, and unsheathed his sword slowly. When Sakura saw Kusanagi, she instantly tensed.

"He-He's my fiancée!"

Wait. What?

"What! Isn't he like a Madara's old brother!" Naruto exclaimed, Sasuke heard the appal in his voice.

"He's thirty." Sasuke glared at Naruto, feeling the need to protect the Uchiha member.

"How did you know that?...Never mind, I don't want to get married to him!" Tears began to fill Sakura's green orbs, as her lips slightly trembled. "But my parents won't listen! they're the ones in love with him! Not me!" By the end of the sentence Sakura was in full blown tears and sniffling up her snot, but tried to cover it up by cradling her face in her pink and green manicured hands.

Sasuke and Naruto once again shared a look, but this time Sasuke saw pity in Naruto's eyes. He wanted Sakura to stop crying too, but not that it was disheartening but she made the face that would make a dog cry. Sakura really wasn't ugly, she just wasn't Sasuke's type, but when she cried she looked ten times worse then she already did. But he'd never tell her _that_.

"Aw Sakura-chan... But you shouldn't run away, you'll only get hurt especially now that you're alone with a Haruno name." Naruto said softly, he crouched down to her and gently touched her shoulder to get Sakura to look up. "Why do you gotta get married to him anyway?"

"Konoha wants to put emphasis on their treaty with the Uchiha clan..." Sakura said with breaks full of sniffles, and heavy breathing trying to control herself.

"By marrying you off to an old man?..." Naruto wondered.

"Yes..." Sakura answered wiping away the last couple of tears, and snot left with the back of her hand. She looked up at Sasuke, glanced at Naruto before chokingly saying "Will you let me go now?"

"No." Sasuke replied, before looking off in to the distance so he wouldn't manage to see her transition in to anger.

"What! You told me you would!" Sakura exclaimed nasily, but continued on. "I don't even know your name!"

"He's Sasuke-teme! I'm Naruto! Sorry princess but that's all I can tell you!" Naruto boomed at her.

"I don't care! I'm not sticking around!" Sakura screeched, before pulling at the cloak where Sasuke rooted his foot on. She successfully managed to get some of the cloak from underneath the foot, but Sasuke dug his foot deeper.

"You don't have a choice."

"I don't care I answered all your question! What else do you want from me?" Sasuke seriously wanted to pick at his ear due to her harpy-like wails, but refrained from doing so.

"That's none of your business."

"Actually teme, it kind of is-" but Naruto stopped when he experienced one of Sasuke's rare infamous death glares, and cowered slightly. "Sorry."

"Hey! Put me down! Where did you get that rope from! Wait!-"

* * *

The duo had a hard time finding a village without causing much attention from the squirming princess encased in the purple ropes. When Sasuke had harshly ripped off the cloak from her petite form, they found out the reason for her large cloak was due to the fact that she was wearing an even larger red puffy dress underneath. Naruto resembled a tomato by then but Sasuke simply held her by the wrist and waited for Naruto to tie the rope around her, although his job was done very poorly because the ropes that held her arms in place were loose. When Sasuke looked at Naruto expectantly, he explained "I didn't wanna hurt her!". Sasuke had ignored him, and continued to tighten the ropes around Sakura, who by then was beginning to lose her voice from screaming hysterically.

Sasuke found a great method to calm her down by knocking her out, much to Naruto's dismay who reprimanded him for hours after. When the sun was dipping over the horizon, and purple mixed in with orange filled the clear sky of Takumi village, Sasuke and Naruto decided to make a stop at an inn. When the Innkeeper kept glancing at Sakura who was held by Sasuke's arms, but her sleeping face was hidden from view as well had the ropes hidden by the cloak that surrounded her, Sasuke just said that she was his wife who was tired from her journey from Suna. The Innkeeper was a little reluctant to hand over room fourteen key's, but did so when Naruto's bright smile reassured her.

By the time Sasuke tied on end of the purple rope to the twins sized bed post, Sakura unfortunately by then had risen, and once again began to flail around. Naruto tried to reassure her with that 'charming' smiling, or so Naruto would call it, but it hadn't worked. Sakura looked like she was going to explode, literally, she was red in the face and she was heaving as if she ran a twelve hour marathon. Sasuke was beginning to regret the fact he spared her life on a whim, but then remembered his true motives in doing so.

Sasuke had figured out after knocking out Sakura, that Orochimaru somehow found out Sakura was getting married to Obito. Even if it wasn't announced yet and the reason Sakura was going to Obito in Iwa, was because her family wanted her to meet Obito for the first time and make arrangement to make the announcement of their marriage in Konoha with the two of them making their arrival from Iwa together. Sasuke wanted answers now, why was Orochimaru wanting to kill Sakura just after she's forced in to marriage with an Uchiha? Orochimaru had found this information bad, and wanted to rid of her to prevent it from happening. What was so wrong about Sakura marrying Obito? Sasuke doubted it had anything to do with the fact that it was pedophilia and more to do with Uchiha rising in power over Konoha.

It was no shocking fact to any member in the Akatsuki that Orochimaru wanted to take over Konoha, for reasons Sasuke did not know. Now just when the Uchiha clan was finally rising just as Fugaku wished, alongside Sasuke's grandfather Madara, Orochmaru was going to ruin their chance. Sasuke on the other hand didn't care for power, and was rather disgusted with his family actions when Itachi explained to him what the clan truly wanted, on the night of their flight. Just what was Orochimaru up to? What was the Uchiha clan up to? Sasuke wanted answers, he needed answers and he wasn't going to kill Sakura Haruno until he got them.

But he really wished she wasn't as annoyying as Naruto- No, she was far more annoying that that.

"Oh my god! You can't just leave me here!" Sakura cried, as pulled so hard against the twin bed post that Sasuke knew it was going to leave marks on her wrist. She glanced pleadingly at both Naruto and Sasuke, but out of the two Sasuke was the one without the hearts in his eyes.

"We aren't." Sasuke assured her, and moved to fasten his Kusanagi underneath his cloak so it wouldn't even be seen by the best Akastuki member.

"How did you escape from your escorts again?" Naruto, on the other hand, panted as he slightly tightened the ropes against the bed post.

"They weren't that strong..." Sakura mumbled humbly, and winced when Naruto constricted the rope a little too tight against her wrist."Ow."

Naruto looking ready to apologise was rudely interrupted by Sasuke, who was beginning to get irritated by the two. "Stay with her so she doesn't escape."

"Where are you going? Naruto asked him.

"We'll discuss it when I get back." Sasuke gave Sakura a weary glance, and hope she didn't catch it but she did and slowly stopped trying to escape.

Sasuke walked through the small threshold of the room, and abruptly closed the door before the two had something to say him. Sasuke had a precise reason why he chose to come to Takumi village, other than the fact that it was the nearest city, he knew his fellow Akastuki members Deidara and Gaara were very fond of the place and visited too often. Whenever Sasuke and Naruto would make their journey over through Takumi village there would always be a rare occurrence where the blond and himself wouldn't spot Gaara or Deidara.

He knew the exact place to find them, and that was the local Takumi Saloon. Deidara always, from Sauske's memory, had a soft spot for bar fights. and the most happened to take place in the Takumi Saloon. So when Sasuke entered the dungy, darkened , and moist Saloon the first word that came in to his mind was 'sleazy'. From left and right, Sasuke spotted five different overweight men glaring at each other, very little talk coming from anybody, hunched weirdoes, and half of them cloaked in different murky colours.

It took him two whole minutes to find the two Akatsuki associates, which was rather insulting to Sasuke's analyzing skills, since the two had bright hair that could spotted from miles away. Sasuke approached the two men, that fit in to the 'hunched weirdoes' category, who sat in the corner of the saloon and away from civilization.

"Gaara. Deidara." Sasuke said to gain their attention, and if he hadn't he seriously thought they wouldn't have noticed him.

"Uchiha." The two said at the same time, looking over their shoulder and on to Sasuke. Although Deidara said it with more enthusiasm.

"We heard about your mission from Sasori." Stated Deidara, as Sasuke sat on the third and last chair on the rounded table. Leave it to Sasori to spread rumors amongst the organization, Sasori was a man with very little words but he had a habit to tell secrets to the blond, long-haired man who couldn't keep a secret even if his life depended on it. Sasori role in the Akatsuki was just as high as Orochimaru's, but didn't assign any of the missions to anybody, he just got informed of who was doing what, and help make decisions in moving their secret bases.

"Since you're in Takumi village, and not with Naruto, I take it you haven't started the missions yet." Gaara observed, leave it to Gaara to bring Naruto up Sasuke thought, the red-head had always been too warm of Naruto. "When do you plan on to execute through with the assignment?

"What's it to you?" Sasuke countered, and laced his fingers together resting them on the creaking table.

"What the fuck did you say kid-"

"Deidara. Contain yourself," Gaara said calmly, and didn't seemed to be fazed at all at the fact that Deidara looked like he was ready to throw the table at Sasuke. "We don't care, it's mere curiosity."

"Get another hobby, instead of prying in to my life." Sasue ignored the glare, and the tightened fist of the long-haired blond. "You wouldn't happen to know where my brother is?"

"No." Gaara said curtly. Sasuke almost smirked to himself, it seemed as if Gaara was more sensitive than he initially thought.

"Orochimaru?" The dark-haired male continued on.

"Actually we do know." Said Deidara with a sly smile, it was then Sasuke knew Deidara was plotting something. "I mean we left the base not so long ago... We'll tell you but only on one condition."

"..."

"Give us information on your mission." Deidara said with his infamous sinister grin.

"Only for you to meddle with it? No thanks."

"Fine. No Orochimaru, and Itachi for you." Deidara said childishly, and with no disappointment at all.

"I'll kill you if I have to." Sasuke glared at Deidara, and glanced around to see if anybody was eyeing them. He then reached from his hidden Kusanagi before halting himself at the next words that came out of Gaara's lips.

"If you have forgotten, there are two of us and one of you. We're simply asking for knowledge, we have no intentions to infiltrate your mission." Gaara explained evenly, successfully calming both the Uchiha and the blond down.

"We are to assassinate Sakura Haruno." Sasuke replied vaguely.

"You and Naruto?" Gaara asked.

"Hn."

"In a six month duration?" The red head wondered.

"Aa..."

"S-rank?"

"Hn."

"That's gonna' be hard, ain't it?" Deidara spoke up.

"Not really." Sasuke said, looking bored as ever.

"How? She is one of Konoha's one of the three precious princess. I'm pretty sure she has quite the luxurious guards protecting her." Deidara described.

"We already have her." In return Sasuke got two pairs of widened orbs.

"Since you have her, why not murder her?" Gaara enquired, who seemed to recover faster than Deidara. They both ignored Deidara hushed mutters to himself.

"I refuse to be an unanswered fool of Orochimaru's. She'll live only until I get what I desire. Now tell me, where are they?"

"Why-" Deidara began.

"No more questions, this is all you're getting."

"Alright, alright, alright. Sheesh..." Deidara said, scratching the back of his head. "Orochimaru is overseas in Kirigakure, there was a rumor that he found a new recruit or something, atleast that's what Sasori told me..." Sasuke rolled his eyes. "As for Itachi, he's in Iwa doing god knows what. You know how he is, he never tells anybody anything!"

With a simple satisfied "Hn." Sasuke got up, and left the two hunched men.

* * *

"I think I'm in love." Naruto let out a dreamy sigh, as he glanced at the now sleeping Sakura. Who looked like she was having a bad nightmare from all awkward shifting of her body, but Sasuke knew she was uncomfortable sleeping in a large dress that was almost twice her size, and a bed as big as her. Considering the fact that she was a princess Sasuke knew for sure that Sakura slept on a large king bed that probably would swallow him whole if he laid on it, and that Sakura was having a hard accommodating from a outsized bed to one as big and as thin as her.

Naruto on the other hand didn't seem to be having a problem just staring away at her 'pretty' face or so that's what Naruto presumed. When Sasuke walked in the dimly lit room, he had expected Naruto to be attempting to kiss the damsel, and try his best not to be perverted enough to lift up her dress to glance at her panties. Naruto was a 'silent-pervert', although Naruto never _said_ anything tainted but Sasuke knew Naruto had done the deed, and probably thought about it half the time.

"Che. It's infatuation." Sasuke said irritably. He walked by the chair Naruto sat lost in thought, and placed his Kusanagi next to Naruto.

"What would you know about love? You asexual piece of shit." Naruto glared at Sasuke, who now was proceeding to take off his sandals on the edge of Sakura's bed. He was having a hard time doing so, because of Sasuka's large dress that was literally overflowing off the twin bed.

"Love and sex are two different things Naruto..." Sasuke sighed, he was getting ready to lie down but grudgingly remembered the sleeping pink-haired who occupied it. "And you happen to know if I have had an orgasm or not?"

"Thankfully no..." Naruto shuddered, and leaned back in to the wooden chair. "So where did you go?"

"To question Gaara and Deidara." Sasuke mumbled.

"They're here?" Naruto asked rhetorically, "Why did you need to question them?"

"I needed answers as to why Sakura should be assassinated right after being engaged to Obito."

"Did the tell you?" Naruto asked tilting his head to the side.

"What would the know?"

"I don't know, that why you asked."

"It's sarcasm, you idiot."

"Oh." Said Naruto,

After a moment of an awkward silence, the shift of Sakura's body caused Sasuke to fill it in-for the first time.

"I need you to find Itachi. He's in Iwagakure, he won't be hard to find.." Sasuke placed his calloused hands on his knees. "Get answers from him about the Uchiha Clan."

"And why should I do it? It's your family." Usually Sasuke was rather sensitive about the name of his family, but being around Naruto for so long Sasuke didn't care about his outbursts. Naruto usually said things he didn't mean, well at least that was one thing they had in common.

"Because it'll prolong Sakura's life." Sasuke explained.

Naruto gave Sasuke a suspicious look before sitting up straighter in his chair. "Why do you care about saving her?"

"If she dies, then Orochimaru has the upper hand in a plan against the Uchiha Clan." Sasuke explained with his patience wearing out, he was getting real tired of everyone asking him why he was trying to 'save' Sakura so much, as if they thought he actually cared about her.

"A plan?"

"I wouldn't know, that's why you're going to Iwa to get information from my brother. " Sasuke said, knowing full well his brother was fond of Naruto, and that Naruto rarely said anything in front of the 'creepy' Orochimaru.

"What do I have to do?" Naruto, giving Sasuke a hardened look.

"Get updates on the Uchiha Clan, find out if they are plotting anything." Sasuke told him.

"And where are you gonna go?"

"To Kirigakure, where Orochimaru is."

"With Sakura?"

"Hn."

"You just want to get in to her panties! You perverted bastard-"

"Says you." Sasuke grumbled at Naruto. "She's safer with me than you."

Even if Naruto and Sasuke had been almost lifelong partners, Naruto was always the one for depending on his gut feelings- his feelings. Sasuke didn't know how strong Naruto's infatuation for Sakura would lead him, if Sasuke left Naruto alone with Sakura, the blond would probably set her free by the second day of their journey. And there was no way in hell he was going to risk an S-rank mission they rarely ever got, for Naruto's overbearing feelings.

Although trust Naruto to take it in the wrong way, "are you calling me weak!?"

"Yes." Sasuke replied bluntly, not even bother to explain himself.

"You BI-" Naruto abruptly stopped when he heard a small mumble before Sakura rustled in her sleep to find a comfortable position, but both the rope against the head board tying her down, and the dress prevented her in doing so.

"You'll wake her up if you don't shut up." Sasuke glared at Naruto, he didn't want to deal two loudmouths. "Now go get ready."

"Right now? Aw c'mon!" Naruto groaned, his shoulders slumped.

"We can't afford to waste any time." Sasuke said calmly. Naruto in turn got up, and rummaged through his things, and began packing away his ramen obediently.

"When should we meet up again?" Asked Naruto, looking over his shoulder.

"Send me a messenger bird, but make sure he'll know where to find me, and only do it when you're part of the mission is done."

Naruto by then, looked packed, and ready. He had his cloak, his pack safely hidden from prying eyes, but he wasn't paying attention to what he did or what he didn't have, he was looking solely at Sasuke,

"Take care of Sakura, you bastard. You better do whatever it takes to save Sakura." Naruto stated trustingly.

"Hn."

With that Naruto wearily glanced at Sasuke then gazed away at Sakura, and reluctantly left.

As soon as the door closed, Sasuke got up to lock it behind him. He turned back and cleaned up the two opened empty pack of Naruto's instant ramen noodle, on the small wooden desk. Sasuke sighed to himself, he had almost forgotten to give Sakura food he'd have to thank Naruto for taking the time out to do it instead. But Naruto had probably done it willingly. Sasuke cleaned up the overcrowded room, before glancing over at Sakura who was now in an awkward position.

After a moment of contemplation, Sasuke advanced on Sakura. He loosened up the purple ropes, and noticed the remained red marks on her pale clear wrists. Sasuke was usually the type who wouldn't have felt pity for her, but now that he assessed the situation, she really hadn't done anything wrong but have the wrong last name. Sakura was the face of it all, and her life depended on either helping the Uchiha's or Orochmaru. She was just a confused girl, who hadn't had the slightest clue in what type of situation she was in. But then again, he didn't know either.

Sasuke continued to loosen the loopholes of the knots, before Sakura was totally free of them. She was going to roll over on to her side, but Sasuke grabbed her wrists. For a moment he thought he may have woken her up, and was still surprised she hadn't done so. When Sakura didn't move an inch further, and continued to slumber. Sasuke let out a breathe of air he hadn't realised he'd been holding, then began to massage her swollen wrists albeit hesitantly. At first he was slow in doing so, because he had no experience what so ever in the medical department but with each motion of rubbing his thumb against her wrist, he grew more confident.

It was the guilt, Sasuke told himself but he didn't stop until all the rash on her perfect tiny wrists, were gone.

* * *

** A/N: Leave a review, what can I say, I'm a review-whore ;). Any clarifications? Remember ALL scenes are important :). I hope it isn't too rushed, is it? :/... This is my first SasuSaku fanfic, gahhh I'm so nervous nobody will like this :/... SasuSaku Fo sho' in the ext chapter :D**


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